IC Inbox

[professorbestie]

[Please use this for any IC one-on-one contact, either through the journal or in person. Also, finishing up other threads.]

Comments

Sender: Susato Mikotoba

[judicialassistant]

[ After practicing with van Zieks for several rounds, you would've thought this would be easier. Still, she's never contacted him this way before, and Susato finds her hands to be a little shaky from adrenaline. Her handwriting starts incredibly uneven, but it seems she corrects herself mid-way. ]

Hello? Father are you there?

[professorbestie]

[Yujin has absolutely no practice with the journal system whatsoever and especially since he's had his hands full, it takes him a little while to realize he's being contacted at all.]

Yes, I'm here. Is something the matter?

[He regrets the question immediately after he's written it down. There's no way Susato would have missed Van Zieks's very public warning about Kazuma.]

[judicialassistant]

[ She sure didn't! She has to take a moment to steady her hand yet again once the relief at receiving a reply settles. ]

Something has happened between Lord van Zieks and Kazuma-sama. At the very least, Lord van Zieks has been hurt

[ Maybe Kazuma too. ]

Can you help?

[professorbestie]

[Yep, she absolutely didn't miss a beat. He wouldn't have expected any less from her.]

There's no need for concern on Lord Van Zieks's behalf. I am already tending to his wounds. He will recover just fine. [He won't say anything about Kazuma, though, because... Well. He can't.]

[judicialassistant]

[ Likewise, she shouldn't have expected any less from her father. If she was relieved before, she's doubly-so now, though she's still trying to push Kazuma's fate out of her mind. ]

That's wonderful! Where are you? Do you need any of your supplies?

[professorbestie]

Oh, no, thank you. I have all that I need, I believe. And it would be best for you to stay home, where it's safe.

[He fully expects an objection in three, two, one...]

Sender: 76 | around the middle of November

[steadypulse]

Sorry for writing you so suddenly.

Kazuma and I have discovered a type of plant-life he felt would be in your interest to study. It's a flower that appears to have some affect over his Noctaere side; repulsed by it, even, but seems to calm him down enough to return to his right mind when crushed and exposed to that.

I've a sample that I can deliver to you, whenever the best time for that may be.

[He may or may not currently be sitting out in the Wildlands somewhere with a very naga-like Kazuma, but details.]

[professorbestie]

That does sound very promising. What is the state of the sample? Can it be replanted so that we may grow more of it?

[steadypulse]

Alive and appears healthy. I got a few of them, soil and all, so it's possible to try and replant those. I can bring you one of those.

[professorbestie]

That would be much appreciated, thank you very much. Do you happen to know whether they prefer shade or direct sunlight?

[He can prepare a plot of land for them, but he'll need to emulate their usual growing conditions to the best of his ability. It'd be an incredible waste if they were to die.]

[steadypulse]

Shade, I believe. There were a few outside of the cave we found them in, but they were thriving inside of it; an entire chamber was wall-to-wall with them.

[At least he knew enough to attempt helping, old farm boy.]

Hoping that I got enough soil to give them as much of a chance to stay alive as possible. Being behind a waterfall could mean they need a moist environment as well.

[professorbestie]

[Hm. That'll be difficult for him to mimic. He may need to build a greenhouse for this.]

I understand. Then, I will have to keep them inside the house until I find a suitable plot of land for them. Have you passed this information on to anyone else yet?

late December

[discourtesies]

One of the two similarly-wrapped boxes that finds its way to the Mikotoba residence contains a sturdy leather briefcase with a number of different pockets, meant for storing documents as well as any other small supplies that may be needed for traveling in this wilder world they've found themselves in.

Sadly, there's no label to mark where it might have come from, but hopefully Yujin can appreciate the gift regardless.

within the week (?) of kazuma showing up near death at their doorstep

[judicialassistant]

[ It certainly has been another eventful month at the Mikotoba household. Glowing dawn petals litter the floor everywhere you walk, and while Kazuma did insist that he would fix the entrance he ruined when he was less snake, Susato has taken it upon herself to put a pink Japanese-style curtain over the damage. If nothing else, it would at least remind her of home.

One morning, Yujin will wake up to find that Susato is not there. Instead, on his nightstand, he will find a necklace; a small bottle attached to a chain, resting neatly on top of a note that looks like it's been ripped out of one of Susato's many notebooks:

I made this same charm to protect Jack, after he was hurt, and then another to protect Kazuma-sama. Now I have made one for you.
I never would have thought in a million years that it would amount to anything, but Kazuma-sama's bottle was empty when he returned, and he insists that he felt my presence that night. I have to believe it accomplished something, even if I do not understand what.
Wear it. Then tell me if it ever runs empty.
But do me a favor, and do not let it run empty.

She doesn't bother signing it.

The charm itself is filled with an array of colors, made up by tiny origami paper cranes filling the whole bottle.

When Yujin wears the necklace, he will find that the pain from any wounds he may receive will be numbed, be they from knives, thorns, or other sharp objects. Any bleeding will slow, and the natural healing of those wounds will be greatly accelerated. Bullets and other foreign objects will be ejected during the healing process, and in the first place, they will find his skin more difficult to penetrate, meeting a deep resistance, as in muk or a very thick rubber.

The catch: every time the effect is used, the cranes are slowly burned off, and when they disappear, so does the charm's protection.

He doesn't have to wear it as a necklace; anywhere on his person will do, but she will certainly look for it when she sees him next. ]

[professorbestie]

[Susato indeed didn't need to sign it. He can tell from the handwriting when he first glances at the note and he confirms it through the sentiments held within those words. For a long time, he just stares at the bottle, holding it up to the light and admiring it. How much work went into those tiny cranes? He doesn't deserve anything quite this elaborate, he feels, but he knows Susato won't ever let him decline it. He can only humbly accept and try to find a way to repay her.

When next she sees him, he is indeed wearing it. Not as a necklace, though. Much like a pocket watch, it's attached to his vest by the chain, the bottle itself slipped into his left pocket.]

[judicialassistant]

[ Well now they're down two people, so even though Yujin (and Kazuma) probably tried to talk her out of it, sheeeee is definitely going to work, even if she has to sneak out early to do so....... SORRY. ]

Tadaima.

[ Oh, look. She's slipped back into Japanese. With the new curtain and all, perhaps she's feeling a bit nostalgic lately.

By the time she gets home, she has actually has forgotten about the charm, but seeing the chain hang out of Yujin's pocket is a quick reminder. ]

Oh! Good, you've put it on. [ The pocket watch look definitely suits him better than a necklace! ]

[professorbestie]

[Trying to talk Susato out of anything has never worked well in the past, but Yujin can always make sure she takes it easy once she's home. Prepare to be pampered, daughter! There's already snacks being set out on the table in the living area.]

Naturally. How could I ever ignore such a thoughtful gift? [He strides over to her and unless she dodges for whatever reason, she will be pulled into an embrace.]

[judicialassistant]

[ Absolutely not! No dodges. She rather welcomes the sudden embrace, melting into it due to how tired she is, though it is rather unexpected. She doesn't really think she deserves it, not when she can't even figure out what the charm did. ]

It was... nothing. I simply do not believe in taking chances anymore.

[ She pauses uneasily. Don't worry, she'll notice the lovely snacks he's set out, eventually. ]

Kazuma-sama was still hurt. [ To put it mildly. ]

[professorbestie]

[Oh please. Yujin believes she deserves all the hugs, and then some. Especially after how much effort she put into healing Kazuma's injuries. She proved far more helpful than he did, and he's a doctor for crying out loud.]

Indeed, but we do not know much worse things could have been. He came home to us, and that is what's most important.

Backdated some days after flower fest

[judicialassistant]

. . . Father?

[ Susato calls out, opening Reverein's clinic doors slowly. Things have calmed down in the days since the Flower Festival, yet after coming home from Kazuma's, Susato still hasn't been able to bring herself to say anything about what's happened. At some point, even she realized she was making excuses, and today she's found yet another one.

This is where she finds her father nowadays. Even during the festival, it was difficult to tear him away, and she's just realized why. ]

I... I just realized Dr Mathis is no longer here. You should have said something... Do you need help?

[professorbestie]

[There's a moment of silence, then Yujin emerges from the nearby office, looking a bit... Well, not surprised, but certainly in a light bit of disarray. Distracted. He'd just been writing some more in-depth notes on an idea to distill the Glowing Dawn into a tincture, and while he's not as bad as Sholmes when it comes to getting absorbed into his work, it's still a bit of a struggle now that he's torn out of it. Or perhaps he's just tired.]

Oh, Susato. No, no I'm fine. There aren't any patients in today.

[judicialassistant]

[ She can tell when he's distracted, and she very certainly isn't helping matters. She should feel better, knowing that he isn't interrupting a patient who needs his care, but instead she sounds almost like she doesn't know what to say. Maybe she's a little distracted, too. ]

Oh. [ She mutters quietly. She almost leaves it at that, but then she feels the weight of the bag she'd been carrying, bringing it around so that it's in view. ] Well, I've brought some lunch for us. Would you like to take a break?

[professorbestie]

[He frowns and takes out his pocket watch, but his eyes widen with surprise when he's taken note of the hands. It's really that time of day already? He quickly slips the watch back where it belongs and shoots a smile Susato's way.]

Yes, that would be lovely. Thank you. We can have a seat in the cafeteria.

[judicialassistant]

[ She'll give him a more confident nod upon seeing that smile. After three days of festival junk food (delicious as it was), she decided to go with something else, despite the fact that there were already discussions about new menu items. Inside the bag, there is a spread of different flavored sandwiches, not unlike the ones she made for 76 upon his recovery from being a noctaere.

She'd added those to the Wild Harvest menu, too. Maybe she's hoping it'll go over just as well, but for now she just nods, giving a wary glance at the door where she'd just come in. ]

Of course. I remember where that is.

[ So she's not shy about leading the way. Perhaps she's still going over the words in her head, but it's not long before they're there. She automatically sits, unwrapping the bag to reveal the box of sandwiches, and also both flavors of cookie (sakura-shaped and dawn-shaped). ]

I . . . Um, did you enjoy the rest of the festival?

[professorbestie]

[Yujin glances into the office before leaving it, just to be certain he hasn't left anything that cannot go unattended for a while. There's nothing in there that actually falls into that category, but there's always that nagging feeling of paranoia which leads to questions like 'have I left the stove on?' and 'have I remembered to lock the door?' Speaking of which, let's lock that office door before leaving it.

When Susato sits at the table, he follows her lead, making himself as comfortable as possible. There's a very light ache in the small of his back, which likely came from a bit too much gardening in the greenhouse the other day.]

Yes, of course. Though, I will admit, the grandest enjoyment came when that costume was replaced by my normal clothing once more. [Which was followed by a different enjoyment soon after, but... Well, he should tell Susato about that soon, he knows that. He simply doesn't know how to tell her.]